Piston ring groove cleaner



July 26, 1938. w VAUGHAN 2,124,757

PISTON RING GROOVE CLEANER Filed June 1, 1956 fswm INVENTOR. 6 W'ILLIAMVAU HAN BY Caz/own m ATTORNEYS Patented July 26, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFIE PISTON RING GROOVE CLEANER Application June 1, 1936, SerialNo. 82,964

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to piston ring groove tools and hasparticular reference to that type of tool which is adapted to be usedfor both removing incrustations of carbon and deepening the normal depthof the grooves.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of theforegoing type which is of simple and durable construction and which canbe manufactured very inexpensively on a large commercial scale by modernmass production methods.

Another object of equal importance is to provide a device of theforegoing type having a relatively low maintenance cost.

The invention contemplates certain features of construction,combinations and arrangements of elements novel to this art wherebycertain important and well-defined advantages are obtained. Among saidadvantages may be mentioned the following:

The device is readily adjustable to operate on pistons of widely varyingdiameters.

The device is readily adjustable to clean or deepen grooves of differentwidths.

The cutter element is pressed against the groove with uniform workingpressure, thus providing a non-gouging and non-chattering action such asis essential in order to obtain a smooth and clean surface. 7

Proper cutter pressure is readily and automatically obtained, regardlessof the diameter of the piston upon which the device is being used.

Additional cutter pressure may be very easily obtained.

The tendency of the cutter element to swing sideways is totallyeliminated, thus entirely obviating the danger of damaging the side ofthe grooves or cutting the bottom of the grooves at an angle.

The number of exposed or protruding cutter teeth is reduced to aminimum.

' The cutter element is readily removable for resharpening orreplacement.

The tendency of the operative cutting tooth to drop into the oil holesis entirely eliminated.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

The inventive concept underlying the invention is adapted to be embodiedin various physical forms, one of which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing,

Figure 1 is an elevation of the illustrative embodiment of theinvention, showing the cutter element and its associated parts in bothoperative and inoperative positions relative tothe piston to be operatedupon, the parts in their inoperative position being indicated by dot anddash lines;

Figure 2 is a plan view corresponding to Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken on line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a View in perspective of the spring for urging the toolholder toward the forward end of the device;

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of the cutter element and the screwfor pivotally mounting it upon the tool holder; and

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of the locking means for the cutterelement.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, it will be noted thatthe device comprises a thin bar I of substantially rectangularcrosssection. The forward end 2 of the bar is bent back upon itself asshown to provide means for engaging pistons of different diameters attwo spaced points. The main portion of the bar is straight to provide aguide for the slidable member 3 as well as a convenient handle 4 for thedevice.

The slidable member 3 consists of a lower portion 5 which is of hollowrectangular cross-section to serve as a guide-way to enable the memberto slide along the bar I, and the two upper portions 6 and l. Theportion 6 is of hollow rectangular cross-section and serves a purpose tobe hereinafter pointed out. The portion 1 is U- shaped in cross-sectionand as will be hereinafter pointed out serves as a mounting for the toolholder. The slidable member 3 may advantageously be made out of a singleblank, the rivets 8 serving to hold the formed blank together.

Means may be provided to lock the slidable member against movement atany desired point along the main portion of the bar I. The means mayconsist of a slot 9 in one side of the slidable member and a screw II]which is threadably connected to the side of the bar I through the slot9. The screw has the milled head I I, the screw thread l2 and theenlarged shank 13. the screw is tightened, the annular shoulder betweenthe shank l3 and the threads l2 presses against the edges of the slot 9and clamps the slidable member against movement.

The tool holder is designated as I4 and is piv- When I otally mounted bymeans of the pivot pin I5 at the forward end of the U-shaped portion 1of the slidable element 3. The tool holder comprises the two spacedwalls I6 and I1 and the connecting wall l8, and is normally urged aboutits pivotal point toward the forward end of the tool by means of thespring IS. The holder may advantageously be made out of a single blankof suitable material.

The spring I9 which is shown separately in Figure 6 is formed of a thinstrip of resilient metal and has the slightly arched main portion 20 andthe bent back portion 2|. The bent back portion terminates in the smallupwardly facing recess 22. As shown in Figure l the spring I9 isdisposed with its main portion 20 lyingv on the floor of the twoportions 6 and 1 of the slidable member 3,

the bent back portion 2| being bent about the pivot pin l5 and therecess 22 engaging the bot tom of the connecting wall l8 of the toolholder. It will be noted that the two upper portions 6 and I of theslidable member serve asta housing for the spring- Rotatively mounted onthe upper end of the tool holder about a horizontal axis by means of thescrew 23 is the cutter element 24'. These two elements are shownseparately in Figure 7. The cutter element has a hub 25 which mayadvantageously be of cylindrical form, and is provided with a pluralityof. cutter teeth 26, 2'1, 28 and 29 of different thicknesses to adaptthe tool for use with grooves of different. thicknesses. As clearlyshown in Figure 1 any one of the cutter teeth may be brought intooperative. relationship to the piston P which is disposed at the bentend 2' of the bar I. The piston engaging portions of the bar enter intothe groove to be cleaned and cooperate with the operative cutter toothtoclamp the piston in position. After the desired tooth is brought intooperative position the cutter element may be locked against movement bytightening the screw 23.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention the device is shown asbeing provided with a positive locking means for the cutter element. Thelocking means 30 is separately shown in Figure 8 as consisting of asolid block of metal of rectangular cross-section having a curved upperportion 3|, a cut off corner 32 and a screw threaded aperture 33. Theblock 36 is adapted for slidable movement between the two walls [6 andll of the tool holder 14 and may be moved up in the space between twoteeth of the cutter element to lock the cutter element against rotativemovement. In order that the block may be easily moved to and fromlocking position the wall 16 is provided with a slot 34 to receive ascrew 35 which is threadably connected with the block 30 by means of itsaperture 33. The screw is of substantially the same form andconstruction as the screw l0 previously described. The block may bemoved into locking position by means of the screw 35 and then lockedagainst displacement by tightening the screw.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readilyunderstood from the drawing and the foregoing description. Suffice it tosay that the piston P to be operated upon is positioned as shown inFigures 1 and 2 with the two piston engaging portions of the bar Iengaging in the groove to be cleaned or deepened. Obviously the bent end2 will receive pistons of widely Varying diameters. The cutter element24 is turned about its pivot to present the required sized cutter toothtoward the piston and the cutter element is locked in position. Theslidable element is moved toward the piston until the operative tooth isreceived within the groove to be operated upon. Then the slidableelement is locked in position by means of the screw H]. To operate thedevice it is merely necessary to turn the piston against the cutter orto rotate the device around the piston. The construction of the deviceis such that the cutter element is pressed against the groove withuniform working pressure, proper cutter pressure being automaticallyobtained regardless of the diameter of the piston. Additional cuttingpressure may be readily supplied if considered necessary or desirable byexerting a slight pressure upon the connecting wall I8 of the toolholder with the thumb of the hand used to hold the device.

It is thought to be clear that the manner in which the cutter element ismounted entirely eliminates any tendency of the cutter element to swingsideways. Hence, the danger of damaging the side of the grooves orcutting the bottoms of the grooves at an angle is entirely eliminated.It is also to be noted that the operative cutter tooth passes readilyover the oil holes instead of dropping into them as in prior devices.

The foregoing embodies the essential and distinctive thought of myinvention, but it will, of

course, be understood that the same may be combined with other featureswithout affecting the peculiar results obtained and that various changesand modifications may be resorted to as to details without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A piston ring groove cleaner and deepener comprising a straight barbent back upon itself at one end to provide means for engaging pistonsof widely varying diameters at two spaced points, a cutter elementmounted on said bar for both slidable and pivotal movement to and awayfrom the bent end of said bar and spring means urging said cutterelement about its pivotal point toward the bent end of said bar.

2. A piston ring groove cleaner and deepener comprising a straight barbent back upon itself at one end to provide means for engaging pistonsof widely varying diameters at two spaced points,

a slidable member mounted on said bar for movement toward and away fromthe bent end of said bar, a cutter element, means for mounting saidcutter element on said slidable member for pivotal movement toward andaway from the bent end of said bar and spring means for urging saidcutter element about its pivotal point toward the bent end of said bar.

3. A piston ring groove cleaner and deepener comprising a straight barbent back upon itself 3 WILLIAM VAUGHAN.

